Monthly Archives: April 2016

Press Release – HOUSTON, April 29, 2016 – NextSeed US LLC (“NextSeed”) became a Funding Portal member of FINRA on April 28, 2016. Headquartered in Houston, TX, NextSeed (https://www.nextseed.co/) will operate an online investment platform that allows U.S. small businesses to offer debt securities to private investors. NextSeed will be one of the first funding portals in the U.S. to facilitate crowdfunding offerings pursuant to Title III of the JOBS Act (“Regulation Crowdfunding”).

Investors that have not met specific income and net worth qualifications of “accredited investors” have been generally excluded from investing in private businesses. Under Regulation Crowdfunding, however, private businesses in the U.S. will now be able to crowdfund up to $1 million per year by offering securities to all investors (including non-accredited investors) through online platforms operated by funding portals, such as NextSeed, or broker-dealers.

NextSeed will facilitate the offer and sale of debt securities of U.S. small businesses to the general public through its proprietary investment platform. If a small business applies and is qualified, its investment terms will be set before its crowdfunding offering is launched. Anyone will be able to review the offering information (including the business model, team background and required financial disclosures) before establishing a NextSeed account to make crowdfunding investments.

“We truly believe that May 2016 will be looked back upon as a historic moment in the global finance industry,” said NextSeed co-founder and CEO Youngro Lee. “One of the biggest challenges that business owners face is the ability to get the money they need in order to grow. Utilizing debt crowdfunding, we help small businesses access a new source of capital while connecting with passionate fans. At the same time, we’re helping develop a new asset class for investors – the millions of American small businesses that form the backbone of the U.S. economy. Ordinary investors previously had limited investment options, mostly driven by Wall Street. Everyone will soon have the opportunity to invest in hardworking small businesses across the country, so that we can all drive growth and create jobs, together.”

NextSeed was also selected as one of the finalists to participate in the Washington DC Crowdfunding Demo Day on Capitol Hill on May 16, 2016 to celebrate the launch of Regulation Crowdfunding.

NextSeed is not permitted to engage in any crowdfunding transaction involving the offer or sale of securities in reliance on Section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933 prior to May 16, 2016.

Quick poll…how many of you have heard of Occupy Wall Street? Wow, everyone. Which makes sense, because it was big news at the time.

Now, how many of you are familiar with the JOBS Act? … Anyone…? You still there? Buehler…? OK, maybe a few, but based on our polls, very few. Far too few.

Not surprising, studies have proven that bad news travels much faster than good news. This explains why so many of us are familiar with Occupy Wall Street, which was impossible to overlook five years ago but alas, few have heard of the JOBS Act. As our memories of Wall Street protests fade; something really remarkable is happening right now, and it’s concrete evidence of financial reform with the potential to empower the vocal 99%. It’s called the JOBs Act and it is going to create new economies while leveling the financial playing field.

At its core, the JOBS Act is opening up early stage investment opportunities to everyone. Up until recently, the exclusive domain of accredited investors (aka millionaires) and institutions (venture capital), this was a money-making empire held close by the powers that be. The archaicrules were allegedly there to “protect unsophisticated investors” but seem to be just another gear in the perpetually rigged machine that systematically favors the rich.

The bill passed through Congress with almost unanimous support and brings authentic reform to the financial system, and yet still precious few people have heard about it. For the first time in more than 80 years, the general public can more easily discover and participate in what can be lucrative early stage investment opportunities.

So this is big news, but let’s be honest, it won’t single-handedly fix the system and close the financial gap. Nevertheless; it’s a step in the right direction and evidence that things can change. But there is one more thing to consider, and to us it’s the most important part: the part that even the top earners involved with passing this bill probably were not envisioning. It’s the part that motivated our team to start a unique new company to pioneer and lead what we see as an empowered revolution made possible by the JOBS Act.

We will give you a clue as to what the empowering part is by simply asking – what does the 99% have that the 1% does not? Think about it. The 99% has vast numbers of people; the kind of numbers that can make or break a company, the kind of numbers that will move a stock, particularly in the early stages. Yes, big Bernie Sanders-kind of numbers.

The JOBS Act enables entrepreneurs to raise start-up capital with the very people that will purchase, promote and evangelize the new company. It’s not just smart money, its activated smart money from motivated customers.

The JOBS Act opens opportunities for large communities of people to rally around a company, invest at an early stage and best of all, and have a material impact on its potential for success.

The JOBS Act is great news for the 99% who vocally insisted on change. It will create new jobs, level the playing field, and, if enough people know about it and get involved, it has the potential to usher in an entirely new economy – an economy for the people, by the people.

There are no burning cars, angry mobs or riots in the street, but this historic change and the opportunities it enables needs to be known. For a change, let’s spread good news as if it were bad news. Like and share this article if you agree.

Legion M is the world’s first FAN-OWNED entertainment studio. We are working with top tier Hollywood creators and producers to develop and monetize content together with the FANS. With Legion M, FANS own the company, FANS get behind the scenes, and if we are successful—FANS share the rewards! Legion M’s mission is to empower creators to push the boundaries, and empower Fans to be a part of the content they love. Join us at www.thelegionm.com.

NO MONEY OR OTHER CONSIDERATION IS BEING SOLICITED, AND IF SENT IN RESPONSE, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

NO OFFER TO BUY THE SECURITIES CAN BE ACCEPTED AND NO PART OF THE PURCHASE PRICE CAN BE RECEIVED UNTIL THE OFFERING STATEMENT FILED BY THE COMPANY WITH THE SEC HAS BEEN QUALIFIED BY THE SEC. ANY SUCH OFFER MAY BE WITHDRAWN OR REVOKED, WITHOUT OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT OF ANY KIND, AT ANY TIME BEFORE NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE GIVEN AFTER THE DATE OF QUALIFICATION.

Recently, the world’s first assistive mouse for disabilities, Glassouse, launched a campaign on Indiegogo (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/glassouse-the-world-s-first-assistive-mouse/x/13484208). This device can help disabilities control smart phone, tablet, and laptop without using their hands. Although this smart device is made in China, the team leader is a Turkish. Why does a Turkish run a business in China? And why does he decide to do something for the disabilities?

Mehmet Nemo Turker is a Turkish and he showed a great interest in business when he was a child. In 2008, Nemo traveled in China and found that this continent is full of potential, especially in electronics. So he decided to quit his college in Turkey and joined a Chinese university in the next year. In only two years, he can fluently speak and write in mandarin, and his secret is to make Chinese friends and think like a Chinese. In 2012, Nemo started his first company, Ceba battery in Shenzhen. And this company is very successful. Nemo has a friend in Turkey, his name is Caner Cem Marti. In 2014, a tragedy happened to him during his vacation and his spine was seriously injured. Cane couldn’t move his arms nor his legs after the accident, and he has to stay in bed all day. Nemo wants to do something for his friend, to make him happy. And later he found that there are millions of people like his friends. He felt that the modern technology totally forgot this special group. So he invented Glassouse, an assistive mouse for his friends and millions of disabilities like Caner. Glassouse is welcomed in disabilities for its convenience and user friendly. To make more people pay attention to this special group, Nemo put Glassouse on indiegogo. This is a nonprofit event, all the money he collected from indiegogo will be donated to certified organizations to produce Glassouse.

Jeff Hoffman’s name and face are well known due to his countless appearances as a business expert on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, CNN International, Bloomberg News, CNBC, ABC and NPR . He also regularly contributes his expertise to other media outlets such as Forbes, Time, Fast Company and the Wall Street Journal.

A graduate of Yale University, the tentacles of Jeff’s talents spread far and wide.

While he was still a student, he formed his first software company, which pioneered online travel tools. American Express were so impressed, they bought it. Since those fledgling days, he hasn’t looked back. As well as being a highly successful entrepreneur, which has seen him being awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the national CEO council for his contributions to entrepreneurship, a Champion of Enterprise Award from JP Morgan Chase, Citibank and Rising Tide Capital and the George Brown Award for International Cooperation, Jeff has proved his worth as a CEO, successfully piloting many companies in both the private and public sectors.

He has been involved n the founding of many start-ups, including Colorjar.com, Priceline.com and uBid.com., and serves on the boards of companies based in five different continents – North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America – which lend support to entrepreneurs and small businesses in more than 150 countries. In addition to those responsibilities, he also serves on the boards of The Unreasonable Group and Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Jeff’s influence even stretches into the White House, as he works alongside President Obama’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and USAID, for which he addresses the topics of entrepreneurship and innovation on a global level.

He sits on many charity and non-profit boards as well as a number of national and international boards that seek to promote growth and development. They include the US State Department’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology program and the Asia Pacific Economic Council Initiative.

He is also a tireless motivational speaker, traversing the world to speak in over fifty countries about entrepreneurship, innovation and business leadership, including a Ted.com talk entitled The Power of Wonder.

But Jeff’s breadth of talent is not just confined to the technology world. He has produced movies and musical events with Elton John, Britney Spears and NSYNC among others, and in 2015, he even found time to co- produce a Grammy-winning jazz album.

Josef Holm is a tech entrepreneur, investor and crowdfunding advocate with eighteen years of startup, business development, digital marketing, social web and affiliate marketing experience under his belt.

As a passionate and innovative global social entrepreneur, he has a deserved reputation for “thinking outside the box”. His unconventional approach has seen him found and establish Krowdster.co which has become a household name in the field of crowdfunding.

Krowdster.co was the first crowdfunding & PR platform for equity, pre-sales and rewards crowdfunding campaigns, providing users with the world’s largest searchable directory of crowdfunding backers. Krowdster provides powerful software tools which enable entrepreneurs to run successful campaigns and raise money through such platforms as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, with several million dollars already raised.

As befits the position of one who is widely regarded as a leading thought leader in the crowdfunding industry, Josef is in demand as both a featured speaker and writer, with articles appearing regularly in such publications as CrowdFundbeat, Wired, LA Business Journal, USA Today and Fast Company. He has also featured on FunditTV.

Devin Thorpe

Devin Thorpe made his name as a big hitter in the world of finance. Starting with a degree in finance from the University of Utah and an MBA from Cornell, he became the chief financial officer for the third largest company on the 2009 Inc. 500 list, a ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the USA. He also founded and led an investment bank registered with the National Association of Security Dealers.

Deciding that there was more to life than money, he changed direction, and has since established himself as a champion of social good. His stated aim is to solve some of the world’s biggest problems before 2045 by supporting the work of the change agents who do it, and to that end, he established the Your Mark on the World Center.

As an author, journalist and speaker, he has seen his reputation and influence grow. His three books have reached a worldwide audience of half a million, while his 350 bylines for Forbes.com have accumulated more than one million hits. He has featured on FunditTV and also hosts a YouTube show, Your Mark on the World. With a current output of 600 shows, it has featured an average of one celebrity per broadcast along with CEOs, billionaires, entrepreneurs and those who want to change the world for the better. Nudging a quarter of a million views, the show has made Devin a recognizable face within his chosen field.

During his life, Devin has been somewhat of a nomad, having lived on three different continents and having visited more than thirty countries, which enables him to bring a global perspective to audiences wherever they may be in the world.

Through his three major leadership programs – Adding Profit by Adding Purpose, Building a Movement to Change the World and Crowdfunding for Social Good – he provides dynamic positive leadership, empowering people to make change not only in their personal lives, but also within the organizations in which they work.

About ImaginitTV

ImaginitTV is a network of shows and a global think tank which uses apps (similar to Periscope) to place the viewer at the heart of the action. In other words, the viewer will be part of the show. He or she will be given the opportunity to watch and participate in “do good” TV through real-time interaction with the content. It will be like virtual reality TV with digital accessibility for the viewer on their own computing device (laptop, smartphone etc.). Imaginit TV also offers a Roku-like stick to attach to any TV or viewing apparatus, enabling the content to be viewed by everyone, no matter where they are – even on theatre screens.

Research by Neilson indicates very strongly that consumers are prepared to support companies that are socially aware and actively seek to improve the lot of society while trading and making their profits. They want to buy goods and services from companies they trust to behave in a right and proper manner towards people and the environment. Imaginit TV is creating an opportunity for consumer-driven advertising, allowing companies to advertise to consumers they know are interested in their products, and for consumers to be made aware of products that conform with their own sense of social responsibility. Companies will be invited to interact with consumers who are paying attention to the message and not tuning out when they appear, giving them a greater return on their advertising dollar while the consumers can rest safe in the knowledge that any future purchase they make will have a positive effect on the world in which they live.

About Fundit TV on the ImaginitTV Network

Fundit TV is the creation of Joy Case, M.Ed., and the CEO of Case Global Media Inc., a media company dedicated to building original, fresh, engaging platforms for companies to showcase their mission, vision and values and to amplify their message through strategic video marketing. She is also the founder of the global think tank An Idea Nation, a social network for solving global challenges.

Fundit TV launches on May 7th, 2016, and will be the world’s dedicated WebTV channel for the crowdfunding crowdsourcing industry.

It will lead from the front with a high profile presence and bring a bigger audience and greater attention to crowdfunding entrepreneurs, their projects and their stories. Furthermore, it will promote the four existing types of crowdfunding (reward-based, donation-based, equity-based and donation-based) equally.

Fundit TV will aggregate videos from all crowdfunding sites, no matter what category they belong to, and categorize them in a single online portal to streamline the process for investors/contributors so as to make it easier for them to find projects they would like to fund and be a part of, with SMS messaging to notify investors of pertinent opportunities. In short, Fundit TV will be THE shop window for the industry.

The show will feature all the latest developments, the hottest trends, crowdfunding movers and shakers with their expert opinion and editorial advice, success stories and game-changing ideas and tips on a weekly basis.

Fundit TV is innovative, inspiring and groundbreaking, and is set to become the go-to portal for news on the crowd economy.

One of the Leading Crowdfunding Platforms Completes Equity Raise for Experienced Local Sponsor

Press Release – LOS ANGELES - April 26, 2016 – RealtyMogul.com, one of the leading online marketplaces for real estate investing, today announced that it closed a $1,000,000 equity investment in an industrial property in Glendale Heights, IL, within the Chicago metropolitan area. The sponsor for the acquisition is Clear Height Properties, a real estate investment and management company headquartered in Chicago.

The property, an 85 percent-occupied flex-industrial space comprised of over 100,000 square feet, was acquired below replacement cost. RealtyMogul.com investors were offered the opportunity to help finance the acquisition by contributing equity capital.

“We have seen a lot of activity in Illinois recently, and this deal is another demonstration of investor appetite for exposure to the rich commercial real estate market in the area,” said Jilliene Helman, CEO of RealtyMogul.com. “It is also another proof point of the effectiveness and utility of online marketplaces such as ours in providing financing for commercial real estate investments.”

The sponsor sees this investment as an opportunity to capitalize on an under-managed asset in a market with which it is very familiar. Clear Height Properties is focused on owning and operating industrial assets within the Chicago metropolitan area. Its portfolio currently includes 20 industrial assets within the area, totaling nearly one million square feet.

“The combination of an experienced sponsor that understands the local market and an asset that has both in-place cash flow and upside potential made this investment opportunity a great fit for us and our investors,” added Helman.

About RealtyMogul.com

RealtyMogul.com is an online marketplace for real estate investing, giving individual investors real-time access to commercial real estate and professional real estate companies easier access to capital. Through crowdfunding, RealtyMogul.com gives investors tools to browse investments, do due diligence, invest online and have 24/7 access to an investor dashboard to watch how their investments are performing. RealtyMogul.com partners with professional real estate companies to source investment opportunities and curates all of the investments. For these real estate companies, RealtyMogul.com offers JV and preferred equity as well as mezzanine and first position debt. For more information, visit www.realtymogul.com.

Equity securities are offered through North Capital Private Securities Corp., registered broker/dealer and member FINRA/SIPC.

Press Release – Washington, D.C. (April 27, 2016) – UrbanStems, the on-demand flower delivery service, announced today the close of a $6.8m Series A funding round led by SWaN & Legend Venture Partners with investments from Middleland Capital, NextGen Venture Partners, Interplay Ventures, and Sagamore Ventures. The new funding will allow UrbanStems to accelerate growth in New York City and Washington, D.C. and to expand to other major cities in the US, starting with Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Online flower delivery has long been plagued by low satisfaction ratings from both senders and recipients. UrbanStems has developed an unparalleled floral gifting experience that allows customers to send seasonal bouquets hand-delivered by bike messengers within one hour, for as low as $35 with free delivery.

Like many of its on-demand startup peers, UrbanStems has hired a core team of in-house bike couriers that enable it to consistently deliver an exemplary gifting experience. The couriers even snap a photo of each bouquet outside its final destination so customers know exactly when their gift arrived and can see what the flowers look like.

As startups nationwide increasingly focus on sustainable unit economics, UrbanStems remains ahead of the curve. “From day one, we focused on designing the best possible experience for the customer,” says co-founder Ajay Kori. “We then worked backwards to figure out how to make margins sustainable, and ended up creating one of the most unique supply chains in the industry.”

UrbanStems has designed an unprecedented, vertically-integrated supply chain to reduce waste and cut out eliminate many unnecessary costs that plague the traditional floral supply chain. Kori says, “In an era where the on-demand space has rightfully come under a lot of pressure, we’re using proprietary innovation to provide both the best possible experience and one of the most affordable price points in the industry, while maintaining strong product margins.”

SWaN & Legend Managing Director David Strasser said the firm invested in UrbanStems because of its unique, scalable offering, “We are always on the lookout for companies like UrbanStems that are so disruptive that they actually change an industry while attracting deeply, even obsessively, loyal customers. When we find one of these game changers and it is led by people as smart and dynamic as Ajay Kori and Jeff Sheely, we know we are making a strong investment. I look forward to working with them to help them expand their business across the United States.”

Middleland Capital’s Alex Pessala echoes this sentiment, “UrbanStems has built an amazing brand behind a best in class product and superior user experience. During a time where ecommerce and product delivery companies are hemorrhaging due to horrible unit economics and high burn rates, UrbanStems developed a business with fantastic margins and significant growth potential.”

UrbanStems designs its bouquets in-house and works directly with Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms to offer a limited selection of monthly arrangements designed to appeal to modern consumers. Customers can order directly from the company’s website www.urbanstems.com.

About UrbanStems:

You can’t buy happiness, but you can send flowers, and that’s pretty much the same thing. That’s why UrbanStems, an on-demand flower delivery service, was created – to spread happiness by making gifting fun and easy. The company launched in Washington, DC on Valentine’s Day in 2014 to combat the typical industry blues: dead flowers, late arrivals, and crazy-high prices. In December 2014, UrbanStems expanded to New York City. In February 2015, UrbanStems raised $1.5 million in seed funding. For further information, please visit: www.urbanstems.com

About SWaN & Legend Venture Partners:

Founded in 2012, SWaN & Legend Venture Partners invests in companies that are building engaging brands worthy of consumers’ passions in the fields of retail products and services; technology-enabled commerce and education; food and hospitality; and sports and entertainment. Managing partners Fredrick D. Schaufeld, Anthony Nader, David Bosserman, Todd Klein and David Strasser work closely with staff and Limited Partners to invest in innovative early and growth-stage organizations headed by top-flight teams. They seek to be active and influential in the companies, in which they invest, providing guidance, support, resources and confidence to the teams. The partners actively offer their experience, energy and deep network of friends and partners to help portfolio companies continue to build high-growth businesses. Collectively, the partners have raised more than $5 billion of institutional financing and participated in more than 150 private investments. For further information, please visit: www.swanandlegend.com

Patch of Land is a sponsor of the Your Mark on the World Center and GoodCrowd.info.

Crowdfunding always looks easier than it is. Very few–if any–of the crowdfunding campaigns famous for raising millions of dollars got there without tremendous planning and hard work. Many people still cling to the “if you build it, they will come” model that has been proven to fail.

Patch of Land provides financing for people wishing to acquire a home to refurbish and sell. Here are some tips provided by the co-founder and Executive Chairman, Jason Fritton:

Explore the FAQs and Resource Center — real estate crowdfunding and marketplace lending are new to many people, so we provide a ton of information for investors, borrowers and the general, curious public. Everything is available on our resources page.

If you’re a borrower, fill out the 5 minute application and have your documents ready. It only takes a few minutes to fill out an application with basic information about the loan you need here. Our system issues an LOI within minutes, and you’ll receive a follow-up call from one of our associates that same day. With a complete document package, we can close and fund a loan in as little as 7 business days (and we’ve done it in 4!)

If you’re an investor, browse the open projects on our website here to compare rates, terms, risk profiles, and to determine if this is the right investment for you. Due diligence information and documentation is available for every open loan. We allow anyone to browse projects. We encourage everyone to sign up, which takes about 30 seconds.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 6:00 PM Eastern, Jason will join me for a live discussion about these tips and the best way to leverage the platform to build your business. Tune in here then to watch the interview live. Post questions in the comments below or tweet questions before the interview to @devindthorpe.

Patch of Land is a leader in crowdfunding real estate through its P2RE (peer-to-peer) online marketplace. We match investors & lenders seeking alternative fixed income opportunities to borrowers seeking alternative sources of financing for their real estate investment needs. We’ve infused technology into an old-as-time tradition of real estate financing and we’re proud that our business model builds wealth, while growing communities.

Jason is responsible for setting Patch of Land’s vision and leading the team’s efforts to accomplish the company’s mission of building wealth and growing communities. Jason launched Patch of Land when the SEC implemented Title II of the JOBS Act in 2013 based on his vision to evolve real estate financing to be tech-enabled, data-decisioned, and easily accessible to a marketplace of borrowers and investors. Jason has decades of experience managing and growing startup companies. Prior to Patch of Land Jason founded and developed a telecommunications design and procurement firm active in the public sector. Previously he served as Director of Digital Marketing for a national retailer. Additionally he founded and developed several technology-based startups including Startingline Networks, Tech@Cost, and Virtual Realties. Jason studied biology at Cornell College.

Press Release – Wednesday, April 20th, 2016 – San Francisco, CA:Razoo, the leading crowdfunding platform for causes, today announced its expansion into personal fundraising. Now anyone and everyone can use Razoo to raise money for what matters to them. From personal projects, to memorials, to medical bills, Razoo offers best in class tools to enable anyone to reach their funding goals.

To celebrate the launch of its new platform, Razoo fees will be waived for all personal fundraisers. This promotion is available for a limited time through May 31st.

Since 2006, Razoo has been a trusted destination for individuals to give and raise money for causes. The platform also enables thousands of charities to utilize crowdfunding tools to reach new supporters.

“Razoo is the leader in cause­ based crowdfunding that has raised nearly $500 million for over 100,000 great causes,” says Tom Matthews, CEO of Razoo. “Many of the world’s most respected charities trust and rely upon Razoo’s great fundraising tools. Now any individual can tap into these same capabilities, and be fully socially wired, to help make it easier to fundraise for whatever matters to you.”

The all­ new personal fundraising platform will offer users the most easy ­to ­use, socially ­networked, technologically advanced fundraising experience in the crowdfunding space. Razoo is the trusted platform that has raised millions for leading causes, ranging from American Red Cross, to the Smithsonian, to World Wildlife Foundation.

To learn more about the new features or to start a free fundraiser today:

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA. (APRIL 20, 2016) The Dominican Light Project, launching on Indiegogo on May 2, 2016, aims to light up an entire country, providing a sustainable source of light for people currently forced to live in the dark. Right now, a shocking 88% of the population in the Dominican Republic experience nightly blackouts. Many people are even forced to live off the electricity grid entirely. The Dominican Light Project’s mission is to provide every Dominican home in need a safe source of light. The campaign’s powerful video provides a closer look at the people and local villages who received these solar lanterns during the first phase of this project, and illustrates the urgent need for these continued efforts leading to a solution countrywide. Please click on the following link to view the video: http://bit.ly/23Cu7AP.

For every $25 raised with the Dominican Light Project on Indiegogo, five Dominicans will receive a solar lantern to provide them with a safe source of light. Each lantern will provide 12 hours of bright, LED light per 6-8-hour charge and will eliminate the health and fire risks associated with candles and kerosene lamps. This solution will change the daily lives of each person in each household helped. The Indiegogo link to contribute will go live on Monday morning, May 2; in the meantime to see the impact that campaign contributions will have, please visit the campaign preview page at https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/2d373986#/.

The lack of light in the Dominican Republic leaves children without light to study and families without a sense of security. When these families are able to make enough money, they buy kerosene lamps or candles, but those often cause fires, they lead to severe respiratory health problems over time, and they are expensive relative to the average family income. Some children even create makeshift torches to light the paths of their long dark walks to and from school by lighting on fire sticks retrofitted with moldy bread and kerosene.

Children like Rafael (the young boy pictured in the photo below), who live in remote villages far from a city center, wake up every morning at 5:00am to begin their long journey to school. Rafael has spent the better part of his first nine years walking five miles through the pitch black forest and through this darkness, to reach the first bus that will take him to his school. After the first bus, there is another bus, and more distance to walk before he reaches his classroom. Following the school day, Rafael and other children in his community travel the hours back to their village, often arriving at dark with no opportunity to complete their homework or to properly continue their studies. Rafael was one of the lucky children provided a solar lantern during the first phase of distribution by Esenciales J.S. SRL, the social enterprise and activist team behind the campaign. In the year since, Rafael’s family has reported that the new light source cut down his school commute by one full hour, he was able to use that extra hour to study by the lantern’s light, and his grades have improved. For other children in the village like Raul and his four little siblings, the solar lantern was the first physical object that they have owned themselves; even more importantly, the children are no longer forced to navigate the perils of walking to their family outhouse in the dark each morning and night.

Photo credit: Esenciales J.S. SRL for The Dominican Light Project

To date, Esenciales J.S. SRL has worked in conjunction with functionaries, including Dominican Major League Baseball All-Star Albert Pujols’ Pujols Family Foundation, to provide light to 2,000 people in the Dominican community of Batey Alemán. The team has also successfully lit up the entire village of El Choco, Cabarete amongst others. With the successful funding of the Dominican Light Project Indiegogo campaign, more solar lanterns will be provided to those in the greatest need, and to more families and more children like Rafael, Raul, and his siblings.

For more on the campaign, its founders, and to get involved, please connect with them on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #LetsLightUpACountry.

Press Release – NEW YORK, April 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — BeautyKind, an online retailer where consumers can shop prestige beauty brands while raising funds for charitable causes, announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission has qualified its Regulation A+ Initial Public Offering (IPO) to raise up to $10 million, allowing the general public to invest and help support the brand’s growth. Shares of BeautyKind’s common stock are expected to start trading on OTCQX following the termination of the offering.

People can visit BeautyKind’s landing page on WR Hambrecht + Co to read more about the offering circular, view videos about the brand, and can also register to invest by clicking on the INVEST NOW! button, which is now live and open to the general public.

“Regulation A+ provides a way for individuals to own a piece of BeautyKind directly, in order to help fuel its new ventures and overall brand development,” said BeautyKind Founder and CEO, Hil Davis. “We’re excited to offer investment opportunities that not only reach our customers, but also a wider audience, and look forward to taking this pivotal next step in the brand’s lifecycle.”

Regulation A+ allows entrepreneurs to raise funds quickly through both accredited investors who are typically high net worth individuals and/or institutions, and non-accredited investors who are everyday individuals who are interested in opportunities to invest in the brand.

“This fundraising initiative allows us to expand our brand ownership to anyone and everyone, and not just accredited investors, especially at such an early stage in our growth,” added Davis.

BeautyKind recently launched a series of new initiatives and activations, including its first national broadcast advertisement, which aired in March. The brand was present at this year’s SXSW, and is set to make its debut at the WWD Beauty CEO Summit on May 9 – 11. Funds raised will help launch a mobile app where customers can easily restock their favorite products, while also learning beauty tips and tricks through a personalized online beauty experience.

Szaferman Lakind Blumstein & Blader, PC is acting as counsel to BeautyKind and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is acting as counsel to WR Hambrecht + Co in this transaction.

About BeautyKind

Launched In November 2014, BeautyKind is an online beauty retailer with charitable giving at its core. Customers can shop their favorite beauty, hair, fragrance and skin care brands, while directing 5% of every purchase to causes of their choice, whether that is a local cause or a national organization. The BeautyKind Ambassador Program provides additional incentives to individual customers by rewarding them and their referrals for purchasing BeautyKind products while benefiting the charities of their choice. To learn more, please visit BeautyKind.

About WR Hambrecht + Co

WR Hambrecht + Co was founded in January 1998 to level the playing the field for investors and corporate clients. Like its predecessor firm, Hambrecht & Quist, WRH+Co seeks to identify high prospect growth-stage companies, and then enable access to the capital necessary to fund development, marketing and infrastructure so that these companies can achieve their full potential. WRH+Co’s Regulation A+ strategy is a continuation of Bill Hambrecht’s legacy of conducting small public offerings for what were once considered high-risk start-ups that are now household names and Fortune 500 companies.

Disclaimer

The offering is being made only by means of an offering circular. An offering statement on Form 1-A relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and has become qualified. You may obtain a copy of the most recent version of the preliminary offering circular by clicking on the following link: https://www.wrhambrecht.com/ipos/beautykind-holdings-inc-regulation-a-ipo/

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

No money or other consideration is being solicited in connection with this press release, and if sent in response, will not be accepted. Any offer to buy the securities may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given after the qualification date.